B1 #1 "Communication"

Human beings have one ability that no other species we know of has: spoken language. The ability to pass what we have learned on to our descendants. A common, community of learning. When an animal learns something new, without the ability to share, that new ability dies with that individual. In humans, these abilities can be passed from generation to generation, so that learning can be built upon. We have language, a form of communication is so precise that we can give detailed instructions on how a thing should or shouldn’t be done, and why. We can make rules we can build societies.   

B1 #2 "Hey Shoppers"

Good morning GFY shoppers. We would like to remind customers of our Gold Card membership system. Membership is available to all customers, free of charge. Membership benefits include our monthly newsletter, informing you of the latest healthcare and nutrition products, exercise tips and healthy eating recipes, and advance notice of special promotions. Best of all, Gold Card members get a 20% discount every Tuesday at GFY. Come to GFY for all your nutritional needs. We carry a complete line of vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements to enhance your health. Avoid this winter’s colds, flu, and fatigue. Our shelves are stocked with supplement formulas to keep you fit through the dark days of winter. And don’t forget your Gold Card! Remember, GFY is the caring store. 

B1 #3 “Tea”

While coffee is a popular beverage, tea ranks as the most widely consumed drink in the world after water. Tea plants are native to East and South Asia, with the first recorded drinking of tea dating back to the 10th century BC in China. By the 3rd century BC it was already a common drink in the Qin dynasty, before becoming wildly popular in the Tang dynasty before being spread to Japan, Korea, and in the 17th century, to Europe as well. Today, cultivation and production of tea is a big business, with 4.52 million tons produced in 2010.

B1 #4 “Airline Reservations”

Thank you for calling Southern Airlines. In order to expedite your call, if you are using a touch-tone phone, please press 1 now. Please make your selection from the following menu at any time and when making your reservation; For today’s flight arrival, departure, and gate information, press 1. For domestic reservations and fares in the 50 United States, press 2. For international reservations and fares, including Canada and the Caribbean, press 4. For information about Flyaway Vacations, press 5. For all other inquiries, press 6. To repeat the menu, please press 7. Thank you again for your call. 

B1 #5 "Nurse Caps"

Florence Nightingale, a pioneer of modern nursing, took her team of nurses to assist in the Crimean War wearing white caps and aprons. The caps served a dual purpose; both to keep the nurses hair out of their faces, and to maintain sanitary conditions. Over time, as women’s hairstyles changed, and general hygiene improved, the cap became less practical, and more of a symbol. Nursing students were “capped” after three months of training, and received their black-banded caps upon graduation. These days, nurses caps are less common, as they have been gradually been replaced with more generic “scrubs”. 

B1 #6 "Production Change"

Hi, Marina. This is Bobby. I’ve spoken to the production team about the quality control issue and they have agreed to set up a meeting on Friday to discuss it with the union. We’re expecting a few problems because it will affect working hours. In order to improve quality, we’ll need to introduce further checks and these will cut into production time, so it will be harder to maintain current levels of productivity. The union might demand extra payment, and we are ready for negotiations. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what is up. See you Friday.